FDA publishes list of drugs that may pose serious health risks
The FDA has begun publishing a quarterly list of prescription drugs they are investigating for potential safety problems that could cause serious health risks. The information is being released as part of the agencies desire to be more transparent about the reviews they are conducting and to help inform doctors and patients about potential risks associated with the drugs.
>>FDA LINK: List of Potential Problem Drugs
The first list contains 20 medications, along with a brief note about the potential problems that are being reviewed. From a review of reports received as part of the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) between January 2008 and March 2008, the agency identified that the following drugs could potentially have the indicated safety risk:
- R-Gene 10 (growth hormone): pediatric overdoses caused by labeling and packaging confusion
- Suprane (anesthetic): heart attacks
- Cymbalta (antidepressant): urinary retention
- Intelence (HIV drug): bleeding into joints
- Carac and Kuric (fungal infection and skin condition creams): adverse events due to name confusion
- Heparin (blood-thinner): anaphylactic type reactions.
- Extraneal (dialysis solution): hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar levels
- Humilin R (diabetes drug): dosing confusion
- Stromectol (anti-parasite drug) and Warfarin (blood thinner): drug interaction
- Tykerb (breast cancer drug): liver damage
- Revlimid (multiple myeloma drug): Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
- Tysabri (multiple sclerosis drug): skin melanomas
- Nitrostat (angina drug): overdoses due to label confusion
- Sandostatin LAR(abnormal bone growth drug): bowel obstructions
- Oxycontin (pain drug): overdose, abuse and misuse
- Definity (echocardiogram contrast agent): cardiopulmonary reactions
- Dilantin (seizure injection): Purple Glove Syndrome
- Seroquel (antipsychotic): overdoses due to sample pack labeling confusion
- Tyzeka (hepatitis B drug): nerve damage
- Remicade, Enbrel, Humira and Cimzia (TNF Blockers for juvenile arthritis): cancers among children and young adults
The list of drugs was posted on the FDA website Friday. The agency stressed that the appearance of a drug on this list does not mean that the FDA has concluded that the drug has the side effect listed. It only means that that FDA has identified a potenital safety issue, and tha they are evaluating the relationship between the drug and the side effect.
DRUG SIDE EFFECT LAWYERS
The lawyers at Saiontz, Kirk & Miles, P.A. will continue to post these FDA lists when they are released. If you, a friend or family member have experienced any of the listed problems which may have been caused by the indicated drug, request a free consultation to review your potential legal rights.
